Home Remedies For Keeping Coughs And Colds At Bay

It’s that time of the year when it seems as though everyone around us is dropping like flies with colds, flus and all sorts of other ailments. It might feel inevitable that you will catch an illness too but there are a series of steps you can take to stop yourself from getting a cold or flu.

Here’s some great tips on how to avoid a nasty bout of illness even when your nearest and dearest are all suffering…

Eat a balanced diet

Avoid over-indulging on processed foods and snacks, and instead delve into a balanced diet of lean meat, fish, wholegrains, fruits and vegetables. It’s vital to get vitamins into your system daily, whether it’s within the foods that you eat, or you choose to swallow some vitamin tablets. Having a balanced diet builds your immune system, helping to protect you from those pesky illnesses.

Get a full 8 hours sleep

Staying up late every night and having to get up early every day for work isn’t good for anyone’s health and will eventually take its toll on your general wellbeing. A lack of sleep and proper rest will not only leave you feeling lethargic, it’ll leave your body weak too, and when your body is tired it can’t protect you to the best of its ability against even against the weakest of illnesses. A good night’s sleep will leave both you and your body fully rested, energised and strong.

Exercise

It’s a proven fact that exercise strengthens your body, your mind and your immune system. UK adults are advised to exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes three times per week, so if you’re doing this you’re already helping to protect your body from the cold and flu. If not, ask yourself why not? Surely you can spare one and a half hours per week? Not just to get fit, boost your energy and boost your immune system, but also for the mental benefits… and it’s a great excuse to socialise and gossip with some of your friends if you choose to team up and do it together.

Get the flu jab

You may think that the flu jab is only for the elderly to protect them during the colder months, however if you’re over the age of 16 you can go to the likes of Boots and pay to have it done.

Sometimes, however, you may not know that you are coming down with a cold until the cold hits you. If this is the case, and you currently feel like there’s a wrecking ball flying backwards and forwards inside your head, here are some more great tips for beating the cold…

Chicken soup

You may have always thought it was an old-wives tale that your granny made up, but chicken & vegetable soup has been proven to slow down the movement the common white blood cells that protect your body from infection, keeping them in the areas of the body they’re most needed to fight the infection.

Drink, drink, drink!

Water, green teas, sports drinks, fruit drinks and ginger ale are all great drink suggestions for when you feel a cold coming on. They not only help to keep you hydrated, but they also help to break up the congestion.

Blow your nose

Believe it or not, there is a right and a wrong way to blow your nose when you have a cold. If you blow too hard you risk pushing the phlegm back into your ear passages, prolonging the cold and possibly giving you an earache. However if you press over one nostril at a time whilst gently blowing into a tissue you’ll rid your body of the germs in no time.

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Rest, and use extra pillows

There’s no time like the present. As soon as you come down with the cold, get some rest. There’s no point waiting a day or two until it’s zapped all of your energy, leaving you feeling worse. Get into bed, or wrap yourself in a blanket, and don’t do anything too taxing. It’s also wise to add an extra pillow to your pile at night time in order to relieve your congested nasal passages.